Chennai floods: Ola supplies boats for ferrying stranded citizens

The boats manned by professional rowers and fishermen, will also be used to provide food and drinking water in specific areas which are reportedly short of basic supplies.ETAuto | November 17, 2015, 16:47 IST

NEW DELHI: Taxi hailing app Ola has deployed boats in water logged and partially submerged areas in Chennai, following heavy rains, the company said in a statement.The boats manned by professional rowers and fishermen, will also be used to provide food and drinking water in specific areas which are reportedly short of basic supplies.

In a bid to help transport citizens stranded due to water logging, each boat will be manned by two rowers and can ferry anywhere between five to nine people in a single attempt.

Ravi Teja, Business Head of Tamil Nadu at Ola said, “Thousands of citizens have been stranded and are suffering due to heavy rains and water logging in Chennai. While we are addressing the increased demand for transportation in the city through the Ola app, we are working closely with local stakeholders to help ferry those stranded in water logged areas".

"Boats deployed by Ola will help ferry people to safer areas and in distribution of essential supplies like food and drinking water in affected areas”, he added.